Electric fan base



Filed Jan. 24, 1961 Fig].

INVENT 'OR. MARCUS HOLPFER I'ORNE Y rates l te Patented Sept. 4, 1%62.

Filed Jan. 24, 1961, Set. No. 84,700 2 (Ilairns. (Cl. 230254) This invention relates to an electrical fan base and, more particularly, to a rotatable base platform for mounting electrical fans.

An outstanding disadvantage of oscillating fans and fan bases is that they comprise complicated parts and high cost of manufacture of such parts, as well as high cost of maintenance of parts that provide the oscillating feature.

A still further disadvantage of conventional oscillating fans is that they generally permit only one or more fixed speeds, as distinguished from variable speeds throughout an extensive speed range, therefore making it impossible to run the fan at optimum or desirable speeds.

A still further disadvantage is that while oscillating fans are adjustable, the degree of adjustability does not fully satisfy the varying demands required in many situations.

An object of my invention is to provide an electrical fan base for rotatably mounting one or more electrical fans, as well as lamps or other electrically operated units, and which base is devoid of the above named disadvantages of conventional fan bases.

A further object of my invention is to provide an electrical fan base having fans mounted thereon in a manner so that the fans may be rotated on the base at variable speeds merely by the blowing action of the fans and as a consequence of the adjusted positions of the fans on the base so that any speed may be selected between zero speed and maximum speeds, to permit a variable degree of cooling effect of the fans.

Another object of my invention is to provide a base for rotatably mounting a plurality of electrical fans and other electrical devices, which base involves a minimum number of standard parts which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and yet which provide a high degree of adjustability of the fans in all directions to enable blowing of air in any desired direction as the fans rotate on the fan base.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FiGURE l is a top or plan view of a fan base embodyinc the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical, side elevational view, partly in cross section, showing the fan base of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the portions of the base associated with the supporting column shown in FIG. 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines IVIV of FIG. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, numeral 1 denotes a fan base of metal or any other suitable material and preferably provided with a cushioning ring, such as a rubber ring la, at the base thereof to prevent trans mission of fan vibrations to the supporting table or surface. The base 2 has screw threadedly secured thereto a post or column 2 which is surrounded by and screw threaded to a collar 2a mounted on the base 1.

Rotatably mounted above the column 2 is a rotatable platform 3 which can be either in the rectangular form shown or may be circular or of any other outline. In the center of platform 3 there is formed a screw threaded central hole 23 inc which is screwed the screw threaded top portion 22 of a sleeve 19, which portion 22 is screw threaded into a threaded portion 24 of an electrical re- 2 ceptacle 4. Such receptacle is of any conventional type, Lhat is, having a plurality of pairs of openings bordered by electrical spring fingers, so that plugs, such as 7, each having a pair of terminal prongs, may be plugged into the pairs of holes on the faces of the plug, there being preferably five faces for such plugs and a top plug-type receptacle for receiving the base of a lamp 5. Flexible insulated electrical wires are shown connecting the plugs 7 and the electrical fans 6 of conventional stationary type.

Fans 6 may be adjustably positioned, on top of the platform 3, in any intermediate position from that shown by the fan at the left of FIGS. 1 and 2 to that shown by the fan at the right by turning them about vertical axes after loosening and thereafter tightening wing nuts 8. By adjustably turning the fans about such vertical axes, the speed of rotation of the platform 3 may be varied throughout a wide range of speed. For example, when the fan 6 is in the position shown at the left of FIG. 1, that is, with the fan blowing in a tangential direction, maximum tangential force or reactive force which is of jet-like character is provided, giving maximum speed for rotation of the fan on its base 2, whereas when the fan is in the position assumed by the right hand fan, that is, with the fan blowing radially outwardly, no tangential force is provided therefore minimum or Zero speed will result. Of course, the fans normally will not be in the position shown in FIG. 1. That is, they are generally in the same relative position, that is, the left fan would be as shown, whereas the fan on the right would be pointing downwardly so as to form a pair of moment arms or a couple for maximum speed of rotation.

The fans are also angularly adjustable about vertical planes by loosening and tightening of wing nuts 9 threaded to bolts mounted on the bases or brackets 1t}, which, in turn, are mounted on the platform 3.

Through base 1 is led lead-in wires 12 one of which is connected to terminals of the switch 12a. These wires lead to the slip-ring terminals 14 and 15 to which are connected to spring leaf electrical connectors making sliding contact with slip-rings 14a and 15a (see FIG. 3) of copper or other suitable electrically conducting material. Slip-rings 14a and 15a, in turn, have wires 14]) and 15b soldered or otherwise integrally connected thereto, which wires extend through holes formed in the insulating rod 18. The upper ends of wires 14a and 14b are connected to the terminals of the plug receptacle 4. Terminals 1d and 15 are supported on an insulating block which is held by through bolts to base 1.

Thus, energy from any suitable electrical source, such as a household volt source, is led in through terminals 12 and may be turned on and off by switch 12a so as to energize the fans through the slip-rings, despite rotation of platform 3.

A set screw 17 holds a washer against the bottom of the split-ring 15, as well as the entire slip-ring assembly, against the bottom of insulating sleeve 18 and is screwed into the threaded portion 17a at the bottom of such sleeve. 0n the top of sleeve 19 is mounted a washer on which is supported an inverted cup shaped bearing 20 which has set screws 23 for rigidly securing it to the stationary post 2. Ball bearings 21 are seated in pockets 21a to minimize frictional resistance against rotation of platform 3 and its rotatable assembly including sleeve 15, rod 13 and slip-rings 14a and 15a.

Thumb screw 26, when manually screwed in against the outer surface of sleeve 19, may serve as a brake to retard or stop rotation of the platform 3 after the switch 12a has been turned off.

It will be seen, therefore, that a plurality of fans, preferably numbering two or four, may be mounted on platform 3 in spaced circumferential relationship and that 3 other electrically energized devices, such as a lamp 5, or a plurality of such lamps, may also be mounted and plugged in receptacle 4 so as to rotate on the platform with the fans.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an efficient lamp base for rotatably supporting electric fans, Which fans may be adjustably mounted so as to vary the speed of rotation of the supporting platform thereof, and which fans may be also adjusted to various angular positions throughout a vertical plane, to assure blowing in the direction of the person desiring to be cooled by the fan.

While I have illustrated and described a single specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fan assembly comp-rising, in combination, a base, a stationary tubular post mounted thereon, a platform rotatably mounted on top of said post, a pair of fans having bases mounted on diametrically opposite, outermost portions of said platform, vertical shafts at right angles to said platform and to said fans for adjustably turning said fan bases about vertical axes so as to blow air either tangentially or radially outwardly of the platform or intermediate thereof for varying the speed of rotation of said platform, a rotatable tube extending axially through said post, a pair of slip-rings mounted on said tube, an electrical multiple plug receptacle mounted on top of said tube and being rotatable therewith, electrical conductor means leading into said base, through said sliprings and vertically upwardly through said tube and being connected to said receptacle, each fan having flexible lead-in conductors and a plug for plugging into said receptacle, whereby said fans will be energized during rotation of said platform when said electrical conductor means is energized.

2. A fan assembly as recited in claim 1, together with adjustable means for mounting each fan on its respective base to enable angular adjustment of the blades in a vertical plane at right angles to said platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 696,191 Powell Mar. 25, 1902 776,026 Jacobson Nov. 29, 1904 816,759 Stowe Apr. 3, 1906 1,322,886 Edman Nov. 25, 1919 2,231,620 Goldenberg Feb. 11, 1941 2,838,229 Belanger June 10, 1958 

